Private households see high potential in hydrogen, especially for mobility

Press release – Thursday July 13, 2021

Hydrogen is considered a key component in the energy transition process. A recent EUPD Research study focuses on the use of hydrogen in everyday life from a private household’s perspective. The majority of interviewees see the use of hydrogen in daily life rather long-term and especially relevant for the area of mobility. Main barriers are mostly day-to-day topics such as insufficient supply of hydrogen-based vehicles and charging station infrastructure. The study at hand is part of this year’s Energiewende Award, which is granted to outstanding energy suppliers of the DACH region.

Bonn. With the adoption of the hydrogen-based strategy in June 2021, the Federal Government set the framework for further research projects and practical applications. The total budget of nine billion euros is to be used to reach market maturity of hydrogen in Germany (1). While the state strategy focuses on pilot projects of industry and science, Bonn-based market researcher and consultant EUPD Research provides insights into how private households evaluate the topic of hydrogen. A survey of about 500 home owners revealed that 64 percent of respondents consider the use of hydrogen as storage medium in households as realistic in the long-term, meaning five years and longer. With respect to hydrogen mobility, circa one third of the homeowners is convinced that the technology can be established in Germany in the medium-term.

The positive view of hydrogen with respect to the application in mobility can be seen in the evaluation of different statements of the survey group. More than every other interviewee agrees that hydrogen will be used more in mobility in the future. Surveyed households also have a clear understanding how extensively hydrogen can be used in a household. Less than one fifth of the respondents believe that the application of hydrogen will be limited to energy. The use of hydrogen is described as “inevitable” by 45 percent of surveyed households when it comes to seasonal storage. At the same time, 44 percent see hydrogen as the storage medium to reach energy independence.

In the context of hydrogen for private households, the strongest barriers can be found in the area of mobility. With a share of nearly two thirds, the survey participants named a limited number of vehicles or hydrogen storage and not enough charging stations as main hindrances. High purchase costs for hydrogen products as well as high safety requirements are considered by half of the interviewees as barrier. Concerns regarding the safety of the technology or economic operation are only voiced by 34 and 30 percent of the survey group.

“Although hydrogen technology has not yet played a role in everyday life products of private households, the results underline the high importance of hydrogen for the energetic future, comments Dr. Martin Ammon.

The most innovative energy providers will be honored with the Energiewende Award at the innovation platform “The smarter E Europe“, taking place for the 5th time on October 7, 2021. The Award is addressed to highly engaged energy suppliers, who promote and accelerate the Energiewende (Energy Transition) in the DACH region. The project initiators are the DCTI Deutsches CleanTech Institute (German CleanTech Institute, The smarter E Europe and EUPD Research. For the third time, this year‘s Energiewende Award is being supported by our partner Vaillant.

At the „Green Hydrogen Conference“ on July 20, 2021, the topic of hydrogen is examined from an industry, science and politics perspective. The hydrogen industry is optimistic as the technology reached market maturity. “The smarter E Europe” online conference will take a closer look at regulatory, economic and environmental aspects. It will analyze how the energy source hydrogen can live up to the high expectation to be a key for a climate neutral economic system.

Further information about the Energiewende Award can be found at https://www.energiewende-award.de . In case of questions, please contact Saif Islam, at +49 (0) 228 97143-20 or islam@energiewende-award.de

1 https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/energiewende/wasserstoffstrategie-kabinett-1758824

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